CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an enveloped lentivirus with cylindrical core inside it’s capsid which posses reverse transcriptase. Infection of this virus to human body causes AIDS (Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). The HIV/AIDs epidemic has devastated individuals and families affected by the virus. The virus is spread through blood, semen, vaginal secretion and breast mills of infected patients.  Other modes of transmission are unprotected sexual intercourse with HIV positive partner, transfusion of HIV infected blood, use of unsterilized needle and syringe, razor or any other skin piercing objective used by HIV infected person (Peter et al , 2002).
Human immunodeficiency  virus is extremely fragile and cannot survive outside the body’s fluids therefore, HIV is not transmitted by causal physical contact such kissing, holding hands, sneezing  or coughing, sharing toilets, using the same eating utensils among other.  Also HIV cannot spread by mosquitoes and can not destroyed by bleach, strong detergents and hot water (Maura, 2010).
There are two types of HIV, HIV-1 and HIV – 2. HIV 1 is the type of that accounts for the majority of infections in the world and has at least ten genetic sub-types while HIV -2 is  found primarily in west Africa and U.S. The  types of less easily transmitted and progress  more slowly to disease than type 1.
The infected person may feel healthy but he or she can infect other the virus during the window stage. Window stage is the stage in which HIV positive is carrying the virus  in the body bit the antibodies to HIV has not appeared when screening (Maura, 2010).
1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
There have been cases of the presence of the HIV/AIDs in blood donated for use on patients in many hospitals of Nigeria. This has led to the creation of fears  in a good number of patients when the case arises that blood has to be transfused. The fear alone is another dimension of illness that leads to serious consequences. This condition also has contributed to high spread of new HIV infections to people and is especially more with people in low-income countries that have inadequate health care service. Also HIV infected blood transfused to patients have devastated many individuals and families since AIDs is incurable (Watson, 1992).
Finally, presence of HIV in blood donated for use has resulted in gotten a now born baby of HIV positive which have increased the morbidity and mortality among children in many countries (Peter, et al, 2002).